INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABILITY & STABILITY IN AGROVET FARMING
Adoption of Integrated Farming System leads to sustainability and stability in farm income through multiple enterprises that aim at maximum utilization of available natural resources to meet the family needs. It aims at generating a threshold level of farm income required for the farm family to maintain sustained interest in farming thus preventing migration of people from farming sector. Integrated farming system, which is a synonym to family farming, provides an opportunity to profitably engage the available man power in the farm family to the fullest extent throughout the year leading to higher income and family satisfaction. A good IFS aims at least dependence on outside resources and efficient recycling of available farm resources. Though IFS can be explained as a system comprised of several mutually cohesive and complementary agro based enterprises, no common model can be suitable for all the situations. IFS models have to be developed based on the agro-climatic situations, holding size, availability of resources like land, water, labour, marketing facilities, risk factors, family size, ability of the farm family members to participate in the farming activity, their knowledge/skill level etc.
The IFS or Integrated Farming System is a system of farming in agriculture which is adopted and practiced by the thousands of farmers in India and other agricultural countries. It is based on the idea of getting regular income from different farm products and reducing the effect of the failure of a particular department.
The IFS system is similar to mixed farming where farmers grow one main crop along with other crops. In IFS crops are grown along with other farm ventures e.g., animal husbandry or poultry farming or piggery or fishery with vegetable farming.
Examples:
(a). Mainly secondary importance crops are grown along with major crop.
(b). Growing chicken or hen is major activity in a poultry-cum-vegetable farming.
- It is the judicial mixing of two or more components of farming
- to improve the income of farmers and
- to improve the sustainability of the environment.
- For example: farmland (Wheat) + farm pond (Duck + fisheries)
- Wheat feed to duck → Duck
- Duck dropping/dung/urine → food for the fish → Fish production is improved.
- For example: Cropping + animal husbandry + mushroom
- Farm: Cattle fodder → cow dung → manure.
- manure → mushroom growing.
- IF farmer has 1 ha land, and growth Rice (0.78 ha) + horticulture (0.14 ha)+ dairy (2 cows) + goat (11 no’s) + fish (0.1 ha) + ducks (25 no’s) + boundary plantation of fruit trees = average ₹ 13k monthly income.
Multiple activities are being done and used as input for each other → Less requirement of chemical based inputs, low cost, debt burden reduced.
- Sustainable soil health improvement through recycling. Agriculture production improved in sustainable manner, since we are not using chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
- Risk reduction: Buffer income during adverse weather and pest attacks.
- Nutritional security for the farmers family – eggs, meat, fish as a protein source.
- Ultimately, Every farm household becomes self-reliant in 6F’s (Food, Fodder, Feed, Fuel, Fibre and Fertilizer).
- As a result, farmers will not leave agro profession in such of petty-migrant-labourer jobs in cities. Area under cultivation will not decline, thus, agriculture production will not decline.
Advantages of Integrated Farming System
Benefits or Advantages of Integrated Farming System–
- Productivity: one of the main benefits of maintaining IFS, to increase yield of different components in terms of per unit area or per unit of cost involved with it.
- Profitability: by utilising each other by-product as a raw material of other components reduce cost of cultivation/maintenance as well as enhancing soil fertility for sustainable production, leads a higher BC ratio by managing waste of by-products and full utilization of investment.
- Potentiality or Sustainability: In long term aspects, by linking of different components act as organic supplementary through effective utilization of available resources, provides an opportunity to regain potentiality of production.
- Balanced Food: different component supplies different nutrients which can fulfill ones daily required nutrients.
- Environmental Safety: Effectively recycling of waste material as others raw materials through IFS models, thus minimize environment pollution.
- Recycling: In IFS, Effective recycling of waste material (crop residues and livestock wastes) helps to make a farm self-sufficient in terms of avoiding outside inputs – fertilizers, agrochemicals, feeds, energy, etc.
- Income Rounds the year: Due to maintenance of different enterprises with crops, eggs, milk, mushroom, honey, cocoons silkworm, it provides income throughout the year.
- Adoption of New Technology: IFS not only for marginal and small farmer make sustainable production. As a resourceful farmers (big farmer) can fully utilize available technology to get greater benefit from it. Flow of money throughout the year induce acceptance phenomenon in farmers to adopt latest technology to get the work done easily with less time.
- Saving Energy: An alternative energy source can be established to reduce our dependence on fossil energy source within short time. From organic wastes available in the system, it can be utilized to generate biogas. It will be used at crisis time or when it requires.
- Meeting Fodder crisis: Due to effectively use of land, plantation of perennial or annual fodder crops or combination of it can make availability of feed for animal throughout the year. Some legumes fodder can fixed nitrogen in soil in terms of increasing soil fertility.By maintaining this much one can avoid fodder crisis in lean period.
- Solving Fuel and Timber Crisis: By linking of agro-Silviculture can avail fuel or timber without deteriorate of other components. This will also greatly help to keep forestation, preserving our natural ecosystem.
- Employment Generation: IFS provide enough scope to employ family labour round the year. By combing different enterprises would increase the labour requirement significantly and would help in reducing the problems of underemployment to a great extent.
- Agro-industries: When one of produce linked in IFS are increased to commercial level there is surplus value adoption leading to development of allied agro-industries.
- Increasing Input Efficiency: IFS provide good scope to use inputs in different component greater efficiency and benefit-cost ratio.
By products from IFS are used for subsequent crops. It is an environmental friendly farming practice. Equal profit is earned from each department. Failure of one specific department does not block the way of earning. It is a balanced method of farming and the return is higher than the invest in all season.
Here is the similarities and Difference between these two farming systems
Similarities
| Integrated Farming System | Mixed farming |
| More than two components (plant species) are grown at the same field at same time e.g., flower crop with vegetable crop (marigold + tomato) | More than the two different components are managed inside a farm e.g, crop species + poultry of animal husbandry or fisheries. |
Difference
| Remarks | IFS | Mixed farming |
| Components | Only crop species are included | Combination of crop or cattle/fish/poultry |
| Production | Per unit production is lower in normal conditions | Per unit production is higher in normal conditions |
| Management practices | Chemicals (fertilizers) are used in large quantities for plants and crops | Chemicals are replaced by organic manures. |
Working principle:
In an IF System one component becomes subsidiary for other component. For example- In poultry+fish+corn system, poultry droppings are used as crop manure and feed for fishes. While corn is used as chicken feed.
The system is being practiced by the farm owners and different farmers since many years. At present, adoption of the system is getting speed. Although, it is being practiced in small areas by the farmers.
Importance
Minimum use of inorganic pesticides: Organic manures are produced inside the farm. Farm manures e.g., Farm Yard Manure, vermi compost etc., are used as organic manure. It helps improving soil health. Availability of these manure in a farm minimizes the use of chemical pesticides.
Sustainable Agricultural Practice:
It is also a form of sustainable agriculture. Minimum use of pesticides and the inclusion of different components make it sustainable. Heavy dose of fertilizer is replaced with organic farm manures.
Crop regulation practice also makes it sustainable. Taking more than two types of crop species on the same piece of land helps to maintain soil health. Pest attack is also decreased.
Expenses: Preparation for the cultivation of different crops for different seasons requires more invest. In this system overall cost is reduced due to the balanced use of all resources at the same time in all sectors.
Different Components of Integrated Farming System
- Field crops
- Vegetables
- Biogas plant
- Apiculture (Bee Keeping)
- Mushroom cultivation
- Duckery
- Livestock integration
- Poultry farming
- Agroforestry (cultivation of trees)
- Piggery
Elements of Integrated Farming System
- Watershed
- Farm ponds
- Biogas
- Biopesticides
- Biofertilizers
- Vermicompost making
- Solar energy
- Green manuring
- Rainwater harvesting
Models of Integrated Farming System
- Agriculture and livestock
- Piggery and aquaculture
- Agriculture and silvopasture
- Sericulture and aquaculture
- Agriculture, aquaculture and mushroom cultivation
- Agriculture, duckery and poultry
- Poultry and Aquaculture
- Goat and poultry
Ecosystem
Dry land
- Diary
- Goat or Sheep
- Agroforestry
- Farm pond
Garden land
- Dairy
- Poultry
- Mushroom cultivation
- Apiary
- Piggery
- Sericulture
Wet land
- Dairy
- Poultry
- Mushroom cultivation
- Apiary
- Aquaculture
- Duckery
1.Components of Integrated Farming System
(1.1). Poultry
(a). Hen: Broiler and improved breeds such as kadaknath.
NB- Generally, deshi chicks do not love to live inside a closed structure. They love to roam in free and open space. Nursery plants are damaged by the hens. Although, with proper management practice they can be included in this system.
(b). Duck: Improved breeds.
(c). Turkey.
(d). Bater (बटेर).
(1.2). Crop
(a). Cereal crops: Maize (maize cultivation), wheat, rice, millets etc.
(b). Fruit plants: Mango (mango cultivation), litchi (litchi cultivation), citrus, apple, ber, cashew etc.
(c). Legume crops: Grams, beans, peanut etc.
(d). Medicinal crops: Ashwagandha, periwinkle, bhringraj etc.
(e). Fodder production: Azolla, berseem, elephant grass etc.
(1.3). Livestock
(a). Cow: Hybrid and improved breeds.
(b). Goat: Improved breeds.
(c). Buffalo: Improved breeds.
(d). Sheep: Improved breeds.
(1.4). Fish Farming
Different species of fish or prawn.
Examples of IFS Model
Example of IFS with Poultry
IFS, when main component is hen
(a). Chicken + Vegetable Farming
(b). Chicken + Fish + Vegetable Farming
IFS, when main component is duck
(a). Duck for chicken and eggs + Vegetable Farming
(b). Duck for chicken and egg + Vegetable Farming
Examples of IFS with Animal Husbandry——-
IFS, when main component is cow
(a). Milk production + vegetable farming + fodder growing.
(b). Milk production + fish farming + fodder growing.
IFS when main component is goat/sheep
(a). Goat + vegetable + pasture land.
(b). Goat + fish farming + pasture land.
Examples of IFS with Fish———
(a). Artificial fish farming + vegetable farming.
(b). Fish farming in pond + poultry farming + vegetable farming.
Management Practice————
Crop Manuring
Manuring of First Season Crop: Manuring of first season crop is done by purchasing manure from other farms. After first season crop, manuring during field preparation is done using FYM or vermicompost which is prepared from a farm’s byproducts.
Management of Poultry Feed————
Poultry feed is prepared from the cereals produced in farm. Cultivation of maize (corns), wheat, millets is required. Feed for the first flock should be purchased.
Management of Cattle Feed——-
Two types of cattle feed can be produced in a farm. Green fodder such as berseem, Napier grass, fodder maize etc.
An Ideal Model (layout and design)———-
1 Components
- Components of the model for first season——–
(a). Crop: Cereal + fodder crop
(b). Livestock: Suitable breed of cow of goat according to climate.
(c). Poultry: Broiler or layers.
(d). Fish: Surface and ground feeding breed of fishes.
1.2 Components of the model for second season————
(a). Crop: Legume + Fodder crop.
(b). Livestock: Suitable breed of cow or goat according to climate.
(c). Poultry: Broiler or layers.
(d). Fish: Fish species according to market demand.
1.3 Components of the model for second season
(a). Crop: vegetable + fodder.
(b). Livestock: Suitable breed of cow or goat according to climate.
(c). Poultry: Broilers or layers or turkey.
(d). Fish: Short duration breeds.
Integrated Fish cum Duck Farming
Raising ducks over fishponds fits very well with the fish polyculture system, as the ducks are highly compatible with cultivated fishes. 100-150 ducks are sufficient for 1 Hectare pond. The system is advantageous to farmers in many ways:
- Ducks keep water plants in check.
- Ducks loosen the pond bottom with their dabbling and help in release of nutrients from the soil which increases pond productivity.
- Ducks aerate the water while swimming; thus they have been biological aerators.
- Duck houses are constructed on pond dikes; hence, no additional land is required for duckery activities.
- Ducks get most of their total feed requirements from the pond in the form of aquatic weeds, insects, larvae, earthworms, etc. They need very little feed, and farmers normally give kitchen wastes, molasses and rice bran, for the purpose.
Integrated Fish farming-cum-Cattle farming—
Cattle dung, urine as well as the washing of cattle shed has superb manurial value. The waste cattle fodder can also be utilized as fish feed. The cattle shed can be constructed on the widen embankment of fish pond itself, so the waste and washing are directly drained into the fish pond. 5-6 cattle will suffice for 1.0 ha pond.
Integrated Fish farming-cum-Rabbit farming——
In rabbit-fish integration, rabbit-house is built alongside the embankments so that the wastes and washings are drained directly into the pond. The excreta provided by 300-400 rabbits is sufficient to fertilize 1.0 ha of pond. Fish yields to the tune of 3500 to 4000 kg are obtained by stocking 15,000 fingerlings/year/ha.
Integrated Fish farming-cum-Agriculture:
Fish farming-cum-Horticulture farming:———
Generally, to meet the daily needs of fruits for a family of 4-5 members a land space of about 200 m2 is needed. Normally, embankments of a fish pond provide more than 200 m2 area. Pond bunds account for 25 to 33% of farm area.
Fish farming-cum- Vegetable farming———-
Usually a land space of 200 sq.m. is needed for kitchen gardening and embankments of a fish pond provide more area than this. In a year, two crops of vegetables can be grown. The vegetables which are considered ideal for growing on pond embankments are bitter guard, lady’s finger, bottle gourd, brinjal, lobia, cucumber, french beans, pumpkin, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, palak, etc.
Selection of Site : Establishment——
Selection of Location: It should be located at a well distance from crowded area.
Selection of Land: Selected land should receive ample amount of sunshine. It should be even.
1 Setting Farm
Step 01- Digging farm-pond.
Step 02- Digging bore-well.
Step 03- Make cattle shed and farm house.
Step 04- Surround the farm land with permanent shed like brick-wall.
Step 05- Purchase cattle.
Major Activities After The Establishment of Farm——-
Crop Sowing: It should be first step. Crops (cereal and fodder) are sown in all season.
Cattle Rearing: It should be second step. Cattle should be purchased after the growing of fodder crops.
Fish and Poultry: It can be started at any time during crop season.
Compiled & Edited by -Dr. Rajesh kumar Singh, Reference _On request
